Koops Log (need strength!!!)

[koops2121]

First I'll give my stats:
5' 10"
184lbs
14% ish bodyfat

Current Maxes:
Bench: 255 - April 2005
Squat: 315 - April 2005
Deads: 345 - March 2005

I just changed up my routine this week so I figured I'd keep a log of it here. First week was pretty much spent getting my weights right for the lifts.

5/2

(I was still tired from the weekend, faded by the end of the workout)

Flat Bench (bb)
3 x 215 (too easy)

Hammer Strength Incline Bench
10 x 130 (too easy)
10 x 150 (perfect)

Cable Flies - 10 x 70

Skull Crusher (off pins)
10 x 100
10 x 100

Machine Crunch
10 x 75
10 x 75

Obliques on ball - 10 reps (I was spent by this time, drove home and went to bed)

[koops2121]

5/4

Bent-over Rows
6 x 205 (easy)
6 x 215 (6th rep I lost form)

One-arm Seated Row
10 x 75

Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown
10 x 180 (far too easy)
10 x 200 (perfect)

Pinwheel Curls
10 x 45

Hammer Strength Preacher Curl
10 x 80

Reverse Forearms
12 x 30 (I have tendonitis from work and these have really helped!)

[koops2121]

5/5

Morning:
Sprints (uphill - roughly 100m) x 3

Afternoon:
Normally would have done 45 minutes of treadmill but the girl I met on the weekend came over...

[koops2121]

5/6

Awesome workout! Blew away the weights I thought I'd be using for the exercises.

Squats
3 x 275 (too easy)
3 x 290

SLDL
10 x 225 (far too easy)
10 x 265

Seated Calve Raise
12 x 155
12 x 155

Seated Shoulder Press (bb)
8 x 135
8 x 135 (pr - easy too, however I used to do shoulders after chest)

Seated Bent-over Lateral Raise
10 x 17.5
10 x 17.5

Shrugs (bb)
6 x 275 drop set
8 x 225 (I just did the drop set for kicks)

[pullinbig]

keep it updated koops. thanks. solid workouts as well.

[koops2121]

Thanks PB.
I must say I am a huge fan of your simple powerlifting routine. So far nothing I've tried has given me the strength increases that I got off your routine. Over this last year I've really tried a lot of different routines (HST, Simple Powerlifting, 5x5, WestSide, DC and a couple variations that I've come up with). I overtrained myself a few times but the experience was invaluable. I really know my body a lot better and how I respond to certain things. I'm well aware of my threshold as well for how much I can take.

The goal right now is to try and keep moving the weights up.
Hopefully by the end of summer I can get 3 reps with all my current max poundages.

[pullinbig]

that sounds like a reasonable goal.

heres my take on training.

i go to the gym cause i love to lift weights. getting big and strong is icing on the cake. i am not in hurry to reach my lifting goals. my main goal however is too lift weights and have fun while doing it. i keep it simple and use the basic core movements. these are by far the most effective movements for adding strength. anyone can read my log, see what i do and ask all the questions they like. short, simple, basic routines. it works everytime if nutrition is in place and no medical reasons stand in the way.

[koops2121]

I totally agree. If only I could drill it through my head I don't need more sometimes. Case and point: doing the drop set of shrugs.
As for the goals, I haven't really ever set any before. I usually just try to keep going up in everything and when I get stuck switch things up. I figured I'd give this a go and see if it helps motivate me any more. I'm sure not going to throw a hissy fit and quite lifting if I don't make the goal. But I won't be getting ice cream after the gym if I don't, lol.

5/7

Morning:
"Sprints" uphill with rollerblades (carve back down - that's the fun part) - 150m x 3

Afternoon:
Walking Incline Treadmill - 45min

[koops2121]

5/9

Very happy with the bench. Probably could have got 245 x 3 if I had started with it, but 235 was a PR so I can't be too disappointed.

Flat Bench
3 x 225
3 x 235 (pr)
2 x 245 (needed help on second rep)

Hammer Strength Incline Bench
10 x 155
10 x 155

Cable Flies - 10 x 75

Skull Crusher (off pins)
10 x 105
9 x 105 (failed on last one, I've done this exercise 4 times in the last 5 weeks so I was burnt out with it)

Machine Crunch
10 x 80
10 x 80 (needed to rest pause this set)

Obliques on ball - 10 reps

[jcp2]

If i were you i would drop the flyes, drop the hammer, i would add 2 sets of dumbell incline. Dumbell extensions are great for tris, just like a scullcrusher but use dumbells with palms facing eachother. I will give you a great great back workout in 6 sets. 2 sets of deads in the 3 range. 2 sets of bent rows in the 6-8 range, and 2 sets of palms facing pulldowns in the 8-12 range. Trust me on the back workout.

[jcp2]

Oh, remember i am not telling you what to do, just my opinion, basically what i would do and what i have learned in the past.

[koops2121]

I totally appreaciate the advice JCP!
My routine is one that I switch every two weeks, then after 3 rotations I go back to the initial one. I do the hammer strength just for variety. The flies are for my workout partner because he loves them, I don't go to failure so they are pretty much just for fun for me. Next weeks chest routine looks like this:
DB Bench 2 x 6 (max out)
Incline DB Bench 2 x 10
CG Bench 1 x 8
Pressdown w/ band + weight 1 x 10-15 (never done before so I don't know how many reps I'll get)
Abs

I really like your back workout you gave. I did one really similar to that a few months back and liked it a lot. I would do it however I do deads on leg day in this routine, just to see how that treats me. That starts next week as well. My back workout is pretty minimal to compensate. Not sure how it will be as I've never really done deads a couple days after back.
Would you suggest maybe moving the deads to back day and doing legs without any hamstring movement for those 2 weeks?

[koops2121]

5/10

Walking Incline Treadmill - 45 min

[pullinbig]

i do deads on back day and a posterior movement on leg day as well. 72 hours rest in between.

[kosherfried]

Go Koop!

Looks like you got all your training ducks in one awesome row bro!

What is the reason to change up routine every two weeks, instead of 6?

Just curious

[koops2121]

Go Koop!

Looks like you got all your training ducks in one awesome row bro!

What is the reason to change up routine every two weeks, instead of 6?

Just curious

Sorry I worded that wrong. I don't fully change my routine, I just change all my lifts. Rep ranges and structure stays pretty much the same.
I do the switch because you don't stall as easily, and it makes things more interesting. It's so boring doing the same lifts every week, ya know?

PB:
I used to do back on Monday and Legs on Friday but I just thought I'd give this a go. I've never tried it like this before so I thought might as well give it a go and see how it treats me. If it doesn't work, no biggie I can always switch back.

[koops2121]

5/11

Bent-over Rows
6 x 215
6 x 215 (good form)

One-arm Seated Row
10 x 82.5

Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown
10 x 210
10 x 210

Pinwheel Curls
10 x 45 (much better form than last time, no swing to the curl)

Hammer Strength Preacher Curl
10 x 82.5

Reverse Forearms
12 x 35

[kosherfried]

what exactly are pinwheel curls?

[koops2121]

it's a hammer curl just instead of lifting the weight directly in front of you, you bring it across your body.
Their good times, you should give them a try sometime.

[kosherfried]

ok cool....yeah i used to do them all the time....really need to get back to doing some kind of hammer curls

[koops2121]

5/12

Walking Incline Treadmill - 45 min

[koops2121]

5/13

Feeling a bit tired after my first set of squats. New chick in my life has been keeping me awake too much

Squats
3 x 300
10 x 225

SLDL
10 X 275

Seated Shoulder Press (bb)
8 x 145
7 x 145 (fatigue starting to kick in, plus I had no spot)

Seated Bent-over Lateral Raise
15 x 17.5

Shrugs (bb)
8 x 280

Seated Calve Raise
12 x 160
12 x 160

[koops2121]

5/14

Rollerblading - 60 minutes

[koops2121]

5/16

Flat DB Bench
8 x 90 (shooting for six but this was far too easy)
6 x 95 (PR - also easy, almost got 7, needed a little help)

Incline DB Bench
10 x 70
10 x 70 (too easy)

Close Grip Bench
8 x 175

Pressdowns (was supposed to have a mini around my neck for these but I forgot it at home)
12 x 85

Weighted Situp
10 x 95
12 x 95

Cable Twist (not sure what to call this, or how to describe it)
10 x 95 (each side)

[koops2121]

5/18

Seated Rows (with mini)
8 x 150
8 x 150

Reverse Pull-downs (with mini)
8 x 125
8 x 125

Dumbbell Curls
10 x 42.5

Rope Hammer Curls
10 x 90
9 x 70 (+ mini) - I thought I'd try this just to see, I liked it...

Forearms
12 x 60
12 x 60